She attacked heaven and earth, and even went a step
higher--to the Viceroy. At the vice-regal ball I saw, behind the
curtains of a window, her rolling violet-blue eyes with a singular
glitter in them. It was the reflection of the Viceroy's star,
although the rest of his Excellency was hidden in the curtain. I
heard him saying, "Come now! really, now, you are--you know you
are!" in reply to her cooing questioning. Then she made a dash at
me and captured me.
"What did you hear?"
"Nothing I should not have heard."
"Don't be like all the other men--you silly boy!" she answered. "I
was only trying to find out something about Sparkley. And I will
find it out too," she said, clinching her thin little hand. "And
what's more," she added, turning on me suddenly, "YOU shall help
me!"
"I?" I said in surprise.
"Don't pretend!" she said poutingly. "You're too clever to believe
he's cut up over the Millikens. No--it's something awful or--
another woman! Now, if I knew as much of India as you do--and
wasn't a woman, and could go where I liked--I'd go to Bungloore and
find him."
"Oh! You have his address?" I said.
"Certainly! What did you expect I was behind the curtain with the
Viceroy for?" she said, opening her violet eyes innocently. "It's
Bungloore--First Turning to the Right--At the End of the passage."
Bungloore--near Ghouli Pass--in the Jungle! I knew the place, a
spot of dank pestilence and mystery.
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